Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates yenerally to record playing
apparatus and, more particularly, is directed to a record playing
apparatus which is adapted to perform a record changing -operà-tion
within a relatively small space.
Description of the Prior Art
Conventional record playing apparatus generally include a
dust cover which is pivotally mounted to the housing of the record
playing apparatus. When performing a record changing operation, the
dust cover is pivoted to an open position, and is closed during all
other times to prevent dust accumulation on the turntable and other
parts of -the apparatus. Because of the pivotally mounted arrangement
of the dust cover, additional space, in the heightwise or vertical
direction is required to pivot the dust cover to its open position
during the record changing operation, that is, when removing a
record disc from the turntable and/or placing a new record disc on
the turntable. This arrangement, of course, is undesirable when the
apparatus is supported within a small confine. However, if the dust
cover is eliminated from the apparatus so as to avoid this problem,
dust will be deposited on the turntable and other parts of the
apparatus. In such case, damage can result to the apparatus and
the record disc and the quality of the signals reproduced from the
record disc, for example, by the phonoyraphic stylus, will
deteriorate.
A dust-proof record playiny apparatus has been proposed in
which a record disc is inserted into the front of a substantially
closed housing. The record disc is then automatically loaded and
unloaded with respect to a playback position in the appara-tus.
Since this apparatus does not include a dust cover, it thereby
overcomes the aforémentioned difficulty. However, althouyh this
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record playing apparatus has a dust-proof construction to prevent
the accumulation of dust on the turntable and other parts of the
apparatus, it is impossible to manually select a desired musical
selection theough manual operation o~ the tone arm. It is also
extremely di~ficult to perform any internal maintenance on this
apparatus. Further, because of the nature of this apparatus, it
is extremely difficult to provide an amplifier and the like directly
on the apparatus.
OBJECTS ~ID SUMMARY OF TH~ INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to
provide a record playing apparatus that avoids the above-
described difficulties encountered with the prior art.
More particularly, it is an object of this invention to
provide a record playing apparatus with which a record changing
operation can b~ performed when the apparatus is supported in a
relatively small confine.
It is another object of this invention to provide a
record playing apparatus having a record carrier assembly that
is adapted to move in a horizontal direction between a firs-t
position retracted into the apparatus and a second position with-
drawn from the apparatus.
It is still another object of this invention to provide
a record playing apparatus, as aforementioned, having a novel
dust cover assembly for preventing the depostion of dust on the
turntable of the apparatus when the record carrier assembly is
positioned within the apparatus, while permitting a record changing
operation to be performed when the record carrier assembly is with-
drawn from the apparatus.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide
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a record playing apparatus which can be manually operated toselect a desired musical selection on a record disc for
reproduction.
It is a further object of tllis inven-tion to provide a
record playing appara-tus that is adapted to have an amplifier
and other assemblies built into it.
It is a still further object o~ this invention to provide
a record playing apparatus with which internal maintenance can be
easily performed.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a
record playing apparatus includes housing means having an opening;
record carrier means for supporting a record disc, the record carrier
means being adapted to move between a first carrier position within
the housing means and a second carrier position withdrawn from the
housing means; cover means; and control means for moving the cover
means to a first cover position in a blocking relation to the
opening when the record carrier means is moved to the first carrier
position, and to a second cover position out of the blocking
relation with the opening when the record carrier means is moved
to the second carrier position.
The above, and other, objects, features and advantages
of the invention will be apparent in the following detailed
description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention which
is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
... . .
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a record plaving apparatus
according to one embodiment of this invention, with the record
carrier assembly being positioned within the apparatus housing;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the record playing
apparatus of Fig. 1, with the record carrier assembly being
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withdrawn from the apparatus housing;
Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional, partial side
elevational view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional, partial side eleva-
tional view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 is a top-plan view, partially in phantom, of
a portion of the apparatus of Fig. l; and
Fig. 6 is a partial cross-sectional, partial elevational
view of a portion of the apparatus of Fia. 2.
DETAILED DESCRI?TION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMEN'r
.
Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to
Fig. l thereof, a record pla~ing apparatus according to one
embodiment of this invention includes a casing or housing 12 formed
from a top wall 26, a botton wall 27 and three side walls 28, with
the remaining side of the apparatus at the front end thereof being
open. A record carrier assembly l is disposed within housing 12 in
a first retracted position in Fig. l and, as shown more particularly
in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, record carrier assembly l includes a p]ayer
board 2 on which a rotatable turntable 6 is mounted. As shown in
Fi~. 6, turntable 6 is centrally m~unted on a center spindle 35, and
a turntable motor 36 secured to the underside of player board 2
rotates spindle 35 during the reproducing operation so that spindle
35, in turn, rotates turntable 6. A tone arm 4 is also pivotally
mounted at one end thereof to player board 2 and has a record
playing cartridge 3 at its free end which is adapted to reproduce
signals recorded on a record disc 5 as the latter is rotated by
turntable 6.
In accordance with the present invention, carrier assembly l
is adapted to move between a first retracted position, as shown in
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Figs. 1 and 3, and a second withdrawn position, as shown in Figs.2 and 4, in order to perform a record changing operation. In
this regard, the rear end of player board a-t opposite sides thereof
includes downwardly extending projections 8,which, in turn, support
brackets 10 on each side of the p]ayer board, as shown in Fig. 3.
Brackets 10, in turn, rotatably support guide rollers 11 which
rotationally communicate with the bottom wall 27 of housing 12.
In addition, a pair of brackets 30 are secured to bot-tom wall 27
at the front end of the apparatus on opposite sides of player board
2. Each bracket 30 has a guide roller 31 rota~ably mounted thereon
for supporting the opposite edges of player board 2 at the underside
thereof. In this manner, carrier assembly 1 and player board 2
thereof are adapted to move in the horizontal direction between
the first retracted position shown in Fig. 3 and the second withdrawn
position shown in Fig. 4 as the latter rolls on guide rollers 11
and 31. Further, as shown in Figs 3, 4 and 6, two upright side
brackets 7 are secured to the rear end of player board 2 at opposite
sides thereof and, in turn, carry rotatable guide rollers 9. Guide
rails 33 are secured to the inner side walls 28 of housing 12 on
opposite sides of carrier assembly 1, each having a horizontal lower
edge 33_ for guiding a respective one of rollers 9 during the aEore-
mentioned horizontal movement of carrier assembly 1 to restrict
any vertical displacement of player board 2 at such time.
A mounting frame 15 is secured to the front end of player
board 2 and, in particular, includes an upriyht member 15_
directly secured to the front of player board 2, and an upright
section 15b connected to member 15_ such that a groove or slot 19
is formed between upright member 15_ and upright section 15b, as
shown in Fig. 3. A lower panel 16 which may, ~or example, be an
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nverted L-shaped metal plate is connected to the front of mounting
frame 15 such that the opening for slot 19 is defined between an
upper member 16_ of lower panel 16 and the upper end of upright
member 15a. Further, a plurality of switches 17a-17e, which are
referred to generically in Fig. 3 by the numeral 17, are provided in
upper member 16_ Eor controlling the various operations of -the
record playing apparatus, and a printed circuit board 18 which
carries switch circuits and the like is mounted to the up~er end
of upright section 15b in an opposing relation to switches 17a-17e.
The separation between printed circuit board 18 and upright member
15a also functions to define slot 19. As will be discussed in more
detail hereinafter, slot 19 is adapted to cooperate with a dust
cover or cover plate 24 such that the la-tter is positioned within
slot 19 when record carrier assembly 1 is moved to its second
withdrawn position, as shown in Fig. 2. Lamps may also be provided
on upper member 16_ for determining which of the switches 17_-17_
has been activated.
For contro]ling the position of dust cover 24, two
elongated arms 20 are provided on opposite sides of player board 2.
More particularly, one end of each arm 20 is pivotally mounted by
a pivot pin 21 on a respective one of the bracketslO at the rear of
player board 2, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Each arm 20 has a spring
anchoring aperture 22 at its pivoted end, and a mounting member 13
secured to the rear end of player board 2 at opposite sides thereof
is formed with respective spring anchoring apertures 14. In this
manner, a coil spring 23 is connected between each aperture 14 and
its corresponding aperture 22 and functions to bias each respective
arm 20 in the clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 3 and ~
about its respective pivot pin 21. The aforementioned dust cover
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or cover plate 24, whic~l is shown in an inverted L-shaped config-
uration, is secured to the free en~s of arms 20. Thus, when
arms 20 are biased in the clockwise clirection, as viewed in
Fig. 3, the upper end of dust cover ~4 ahuts against a decorative
frame member 29 secured to the ront or open end of top wall 26
of housing 12. Accordingly, elongated arms 20 are limited in
their clockwise angular rotation. It is to be appreciated that,
in this latter position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, dust cover 24
blocks the opening to the apparatus at the front end thereof to
prevent dust and the like ~rom entering and interfering with the
operation thereof. In such position, the lower end of dust cover
24 is positioned at the upper end or opening of the aforementioned
slot 19 formed between upper member 16a of lower panel 16 and
the upper end of upright member 15a. In addition, as will be
descrihed in more detail hereinafter, a cam follower in the form
of a roller 25 is mounted on an outwardly projecting pin approximately
midway on each arm 20, adjacent a stop portion 20_ on each arm.
As shown in Fig. 3, cam bars 32 are secured to side
walls 28 of housing 12 at opposite sides of player board 2, each
cam bar including a horizontal forward portion 32a extending from
the front end of housing 12 and terminating in an upwardly inclined
portion 32_ which, in turn, terminates in a horizontal rear
portion 32c. Ca~ bars 32 are adapted to guide the respective guide
rollers 25 of arms 20. In particular, when player board 2 is moved
from its first retracted position, as shown in Fig. 3, to its
second withdrawn position, as shown in Flq. 4, arms 20 are moved
along therewith. Accordingly, guide rollers 25 are guided along
the underside of cam bars 32 so that arms 20 are biased in the
counter-clockwise direction against the action of springs 23. In
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this manner, when player board 2 is moved -to its second with-
drawn position, as shown in Fig. 4, arms 20 are horizontally
arranged and dust cover 24, which is secured to the ~ree ends of
arms 20, is positioned out o~ the way in slot 19. A record disc
positioning member 34 also extends downwardly from the inner portion
of top wall 26 for aiding the user in positioning a record clisc 5
on turntable 6 when record carrier assembly 1 is moved to its
second withdrawn position.
Referring now to Fig. 5, there is shown an arrangement
for moving carrier assembly 1 and player board 2 between the first
retracted position and second withdrawn position wi-th respect to
housing 12. In particular, a motor 37 is provided with a worm
gear 47 secured to its output shaft. Worm gear 47 is coupled
through a gear train comprised of gears 48, 49, 50 and 51 mounted
on a gear mounting plate 40, to a guide rack 52. Gear mounting
plate 40 is attached to the underside of player board 2 for move-
ment therwith, and the latter guide rack 52 is secured to the
right edge face of a lever 54 which is pivotally mounted at one
end thereof by means of a pivot pin 53 -to a rear portion of bottom
wall 27. Lever 54, and therefore, guide rack 52, are normally
biased in the counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5,
by a spring 56 connected between one end of a spring anchoring
aperture 55 formed in bottom wall 27 and a projection 52a connected
to the left edge face of lever 54. In this manner, the engaging
teeth of guide rack 52 are normally biased into meshing engagement
with gear 51 of the aforementioned gear train. The free end of
lever 54 also includes an operating pin 57 which extends through
spring anchoring aperture 55 and which is used for manual operation
of the apparatus, as will be discussed in greater detail
hereinafter.
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AS shown in Fig. 5, two swi-tches 58 and 59 having
respective extended operating members 58a and 59a, which face
in opposite directions, are provided on an extended portion 40a
of mounting plate 40. Operating members 58_ and 59a are adapted
to cooperate with actuating members 60 and 61, respectively, which
project from the rear and ~ront portions of bottom wall 27. Thus,
when player board 2 is in its first retracted position, actuating
member 60 engages operating member 58a of switch 58 to detect
such position, while actuating member 61 cooperates with operating
member 59_ of switch 59 when player board 2 is in lts second
withdrawn position to detect that position.
A motor 38 for operatina tone arm 4 is also provided on
mounting plate 40 in a side-by-side relation to motor 37 and
includes a worm gear 39 secured bo its output shaft. Worm gear 39
cooperates with a gear 46 secured to an arm shaft of the tone
arm, through a gear train com~rised of gears 41-45 mounted on
gear mounting plate 40, to control movemen-t of the tone arm.
In operation, prior to the start of the playback or
reproducing operation, carrier assembly 1 is positioned within
housing 12 in its first retracted position. At this time, dust
cover 24 which is supported at the free ends of arms 20 is
positioned in a blocking relation to the opening of housing 12
between decorative frame 29 and the upper end of slot ]9, thereby
preventing dus-t and the like from being introduced into the interior
of housing 12 and interrupting or deteriorating the reproducing
operation. To initiate the playback operation, switch 17a is
depressed. This activates motor 37 to cause rotation of gear 51
through worm gear 47 and the gear train comprised of years 48-50.
As gear 51 is rotated, it advances along guide rack 52, -thereby
moving carrier assembly 1 from its first retracted position to
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its second withdrawn position. When the operatiny member 59_
of switch 59 strikes actuating member 61, the current supply to
motor 37 is interrupted, whereby carrier assembly 1, and player
board 2 thereof, are maintained in the second position withdrawn
from housing 12.
During the advancement of carrier assembly 1, elongated
arms 20 are also advanced therewith. During such advancernent to
the withdrawn position, gulde rollers 25 of arms 20 are guided by
cam bars 32, whereby arms 20 are rotated in the counter-clockwise
direction, from the position shown in Fig. 3 to tha~t shown in
Fiy. 4. When guide rollers 25 are guided by the horizontal forward
portions 32_ of cam bars 32, dust cover is positioned within slot 19.
Further, the extent of withdrawal of carrier assembly 1 is restricted
by the stop portion 20_ on each arm 20, which abuts against a
respective roller 31. Also, during the withdrawal operation,
rollers 9 cooperate with guide rails 33 to prevent any vertical
displacement of player board 2.
It is to be appreciated that, when carrier assembly l is
in its second withdrawn position, as shown in Fig. 4, cen-ter spindle
35 of turntable 6 is positioned in the proximity of decorative
frame 29 while dust cover 24 is positioned within slot l9. In
other words, no obstacles are present to prevent the removal of a
record disc 5 from turntable 6 or the placement of a record disc 5
on turntable 6, for example, by moving the record disc in the
direction of arrow B of Fig. 4 onto the turntable.
After a record disc 5 has been positioned on turntable
6 for reproduction, switch 17b is depressed, whereby motor 37 is
activated to rotate in the opposite or reverse direction. In
this manner, motor 37, through worm c3ear 47, the c3ear train
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comprised o~ gears 48-50, gear 51 and guide rac~ 52, causes
carrier assembly 1 to be moved from its second withdrawn position
to its first retracted position into housing 12, as shown in
Fig. 3. When operating membex 58a of switch 58 con-tacts
actuatin~ member 60, the current supply to motor 37 is.inter-
rupted, whereby the reverse movement of carrier assembly 1 is
stopped. It is to be appreciated that, during such reverse
movement of carrier assembly 1, guide rollers 25 of arms 20 are
guided along cam bars 32, whereby arms ~0 are caused to rotate
in the clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, by means of
springs 23. However, the extent oE such clockwise rotation is
limited by the abutment of dust cover 24 at the free ends of
arms 20 against decorative frame 2~.
Thereafter, switch 17c is depressed for initiating the
reproduction operation. In particular, after switch 17c has
been depressed, turntable motor 36 is activated to rotate center
spindle 35 and thereby turntable 6 secured thereto. F~lrther, the
depression of swi.tch 17c also provides for the activation of tone
arm motor 38. Accordingly, tone arm motor 38, through worm gear 39,
the gear train comprised o~ gears 41-45 and gear 46 causes tone
arm 4 to be led from its rest position toward the outermost circum-
ferential groove on record disc 5. When this lead-in operation
has been completed, the meshing relation between gears 45 and 46
is released, for example, by means of a notch provide~ in one of the
gears, such that the stylus of cartridge 3 at the free end of tone
arm 4 rides within the spiral grooves of the record disc for
reprGducing signals recorded therein in a conventional manner.
A circuit (not shown) is provided for detecting when the playback
operation is completed, that is, when tone arm 4 .is positioned
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within the innermost ~roove of the record disc and, in turn,
activates a mechanism for lifting the tone arm from the record
disc and then activates motor 38 for returning tone arm 4 to its
rest position. After tone arm 4 has been returned to its rest
position, motor 38 is deactivated to complete the reproducing
operation.
It is to be appreciated that the present invention may
also be utilized in a manual operation, for example, where it is
desired to select a predetermined musical arrangement on the
record disc. In such case, operating pin 57 is biased to the
left in Fig. 5 against the biasing force of spring 56. This can be
accomplished by means of any suitable mechanical or electro-
mechanical arrangement. This, in turn, causes lever 54 to be rotated
in the clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5, about pivot pin
53 such that guide rack 52 is brought out of meshing engagement with
gear 51. In this manner, carrier assembly 1 can be manually
withdrawn from housing 12. ~he reproducing operation can then be
performed with carrier assembly 1 withdrawn from housing 12.
It is to be appreciated that the present invention
provides distinct advantages over the prior art. In particular,
the present invention is adapted to be utilized in an extremely
srnall confine such that the space necessary for performing the
record changing and reproducing operations is minimlzed. With
such arrangernent, a dust cover is still provided for preventing
dust and the like from entering the housing with the dust cover
being automatically removed to a non-obstructing or non-blocking
position during the record changing operation. It is also
possible to provide manual operation of the present invention.
Further, an amplifier and other assemblies may be installed
directly in the apparatus,
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Havillg described a specific preferred embodiment of
the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is
to be understood that the inventlon is not limited to that
precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications
may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without
departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in
the appended claimsO
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